


I held my tongue when we were young

by slumbering_afterthought (nap_princess)



Category: Wildwood Stables Series - Suzanne Weyn
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Friendship, Gen, She can't stop me from writing angst about side characters she doesn't care about, The author hasn't touched this series since 2011
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-21
Updated: 2020-11-21
Packaged: 2021-03-10 06:49:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,234
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27659093
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nap_princess/pseuds/slumbering_afterthought
Summary: ”In a way, we’re alike: left behind.”— Travis, Plum
Relationships: Travis Ryan & Plum Mason





	I held my tongue when we were young

**I held my tongue when we were young**

* * *

With her long blonde hair twisted up into an elegant bun and her diamond stud earrings glittering, Travis Ryan supposes he could have mistaken Plum for something she's not. An angel, perhaps. However, the truth is, Plum Mason is anything but that.

He still isn’t sure if she’s a nice person. Travis wouldn’t say he demonises her; seeing her as a creature with fangs and claws. Plum’s own cousin, Eric, once said Plum has her moments where she _could_ be human. Travis supposes Eric is right. But after years and years of being in the same schools and classes, the blonde boy can’t exactly erase Plum past certain versions of herself. He’s seen her in certain limelights that proves her ugly and an entitled brat.

Now, for example, all geared up in her English-style riding outfit. It makes her look prim. The only thing that proves otherwise is Shafir, her Arabian horse, who is the opposite of her lease owner; more playful than elegant, and that’s fine.

If anyone were to ask Travis what he thinks of Plum Mason, he’d describe her as _lonely_. The wealthy girl used to have a close circle of friends, but when they started high school, the group broke off. Money can't buy everything, and Plum’s friends grew up, realising Plum’s nasty behaviour isn’t something to be put up with.

As the sound of Shafir’s hooves comes closer, signalling an end to the horse’s cool down around the ring, Travis wonders if he should fetch a currycomb for Plum. She hasn’t been as stuck-up as she used to be as a pre-teen; the chain shank is no longer in use and she helps groom the animals now, Travis would even say she’s the best at braiding — making the horses’ manes and tails look pretty.

“What are you doing here?” Plum asks, her voice yanking Travis out of his daydream.

“Am I not allowed?” Travis asks back. “I volunteer here, you know.”

Rolling her blue eyes, Plum doesn’t bother answering, only guiding Shafir into her stable before hopping off.

Once Plum’s helmet is in her moisturised hands, Plum turns back to Travis and continues their conversation, “I’m just asking. Mrs LeFluer didn’t really mention anything that needs fixing.”

The corners of Travis’ mouth turns upright. His appointed title at Wildwood Stables is made-up; Junior Head of Buildings and Grounds (while Mrs LeFleur is the Senior Head), which means he’s tasked to fix up failing ruins with his father’s toolbox. But, what Plum says is true, there are only so many things Mrs LeFluer needs from him.

“I thought I’d stop by,” Travis replies and finds his gaze travelling to the lush green field. The smell of hay is comforting despite the stinging memories.

A lot has happened since Travis’ best friend, Taylor Henry, helped revive this ranch. She used to tell Travis all the time that Wildwood Stables is — to quote — “the best place in the world”, but Travis disagrees. It almost caused them to fall out when it first became Taylor’s obsession, and an accident had happened before they were born which caused Mrs LeFluer’s son, Jim, to end up wheelchair-bound.

“What — are you saying you have nowhere else to hangout? Aren’t you interested in nerd culture stuff or something?” Plum asks, vaguely aware of Travis’ hobbies.

This time, Travis is the one to roll his eyes. He even scoffs. “I don’t spend all my time around video games and comic books.”

Plum only hums in return, taking off Shafir’s saddle then gathering grooming necessities before brushing the horse’s cream colour fur. Travis stands close by, not knowing what else to do.

If someone steps into the stables, they’d think Travis and Plum are spending time together, holding a conversation. It’s an odd conclusion. Why would the blondes be hanging out though, they have nothing in common? If anything, Taylor and Plum share more similarities — a love for riding horses, an interest for English riding rather than Western, a house decorated with ribbons and trophies — and that’s saying a lot since the girls are rivals.

But, who else is there for Travis to be around? Mercedes Gonzale? She’s a whole less stubborn since they met, but still headstrong. Taylor is busy, helping her mother’s booming catering business. And Travis doesn’t even want to contemplate on the idea of hanging out with Eric Mason — who happens to also be Taylor’s boyfriend.

Eric’s known to most people as a nice person. He _is_ nice. Nonetheless, Travis sees Eric — with his hazel green eyes, smarts that got him a scholarship at The Johnson School in Dobbs Ferry and Westheimer working experience — as somebody who’s replaced him in Taylor’s life. 

Or maybe, a contributing factor to why he’s left in the dust. Travis has been left behind for Prince Albert, Pixie, private riding lessons with Keith Hobbes at Ross River Ranch and Wildwood Stables, a horse ranch that’s clinging to life by a shoestring and drowning in debt. It closed down once before, it can close down again. 

Travis can’t wrap his head around why Taylor loves this place so much or why Mrs LeFluer went to all the trouble. She didn’t have to go through a court-case battle for a building that groans with the slightest gust of wind.

* * *

When the sight of a familiar sleek black SUV comes rolling up, Plum’s already put away her grooming kit and sat next to Travis; their knees brushing against one another and a blanket of silence thrown over their shoulders.

Before she enters the car, backseat door swung wide, Plum sets her blue eyes on Travis, "Do you want a ride home?"

His own eyes flit to his bicycle parked haphazardly, leaning by a wooden fence, barely visible among the grass. The gesture should have been enough to answer Plum's question, but her blonde eyebrow hikes up regardless.

"What about my bike?" Travis asks.

"Toss it in the back,"

"Why are you even offering me a ride, it isn't like it's raining or snowing," Travis says.

“Because I feel like it,” Plum utters, her frown barely concealed. “Now are you coming or not?”

* * *

Pheasant Valley is small, it’s easy to run into an archnemesis or someone that wants to be avoided. However, to show up at the Ryan household unannounced is not something Travis would say is ‘a coincidence’.

“What are you doing here?” Travis asks, it’s the first thing that pops out of his mouth when he opens the front door. “Does Wildwood Stables need me?” He pulls out his phone from his pocket, staring at his screen. “Taylor hasn’t called me, Mrs LeFluer either.”

“Our world doesn’t revolve around that stupid place,” Is the only thing Plum says back and walks into Travis’ living room, their shoulders almost touching. 

“Why are you here?” He asks again.

“You gave my mother your address the other day.” Plum answers.

“Okay, but that’s not what I asked.”

Once the blonde girl is standing in the middle of the space, she sits on the couch and clasps her hands together. It worries Travis.

“I didn’t know where else to go. I didn’t know what else to do,” Plum confesses, her voice small. The tiniest volume Travis has ever heard Plum speak in.

“What happened?” Travis closes the door before making his way towards the couch. Like that day at the stables, he only stands near her, hovering and not knowing what to do.

“Nothing,” Plum answers. And it seems genuine. “I just … I’ve sort of realised that I haven’t gotten anybody in my life that stays. I couldn’t keep my boyfriend, I couldn’t keep my friends. The only people that are sort of constant in my life are the folks at Wildwood Stables, and even they don’t like me. Or, at least, the girls don’t.”

“What about Eric?”

“Eric doesn’t count. I mean, he’s family. But he’s also away for college, and he spends all his free time with Taylor anyway, so.”

“True,” Travis answers. There’s no reason to lie.

This isn’t what Travis would have thought Plum would turn out to be. He’s always figured that Plum would be the future Mrs Ross, owning a rich ranch like Ross River Ranch. If not, Plum would become her mother; blind and reckless, almost crashing her expensive car into live horses walking around stable grounds.

But here she is, sitting in his living room, pleading for some sort of human interaction.

Lifting her blue eyes from her clenched hands, Plum says, “Well, I’m already here. What did you and Taylor use to do when you guys were friends? Let’s do that,”

“We’re still friends,” Travis replies, a little defensive.

“Yeah, but not _best_ friends anymore, are you? It’s just a title,”

Travis can’t really answer that. Maybe it is as made-up as his Junior Head of Buildings and Grounds position.

Between Taylor's parents getting divorced and Taylor's mother getting laid off; it merely wasn't faith for Taylor and Travis to be best friends forever. They’re still somewhat close but he doesn’t think either one of them wants to admit that they’re drifting off. Both he and Taylor aren't like Jennifer Henry and Claire Black, they can't carry their friendship from elementary to middle school to adulthood. Travis can only count the fleeting conversations he's had with Taylor the same way Mrs Henry used to count spare change from the tip jars.

Avoiding Plum’s question, he spins his own. “Okay, what do you want to do then? _Rock Band, Zombie Quest_?” Travis lists, plucking his fingers.

“What?”

“Video games,”

Plum’s face screws up. “Video games? Is that it?”

“We used to read together too. Well, me with my graphic novels and Taylor with her horse magazines. But I can see that you came empty-handed. And I don’t see the reason to call each other since we’re speaking in person.”

“Is that it?” Plum repeats.

“What did you expect?”

Plum cocks her head. “You never did couple stuff?”

“What? No. Taylor and I were never together. Some people speculated, but we’ve always been friends and nothing more.” Travis says before adding, “Why, wanna go on dates with me or something?” He jokes, the same question he had asked her when they were thirteen.

As the blondes exchange a look, Travis can tell that Plum isn’t seriously considering the question.

“Sorry, you aren’t my type. I’m not a fan of the short-cropped cut look.” Plum says, causing Travis to run his hand through his white-blonde hair.

“Yeah, I’m not Jake Richards,”

“No, you’re not.” Plum confirms. Travis isn't tall nor athletic nor considered 'the best-looking boy'. Travis isn't her ex-boyfriend, but —“But I wouldn’t mind you as a friend. In a way, we’re alike: left behind.”

His pale eyebrows scrunch together at this statement. Plum is speaking a lot of truths today. He is ‘abandoned’ in a sense. Sometimes he wonders why he doesn’t just leave the same way Daphne Chang and, that orphaned deer, Spots did. 

(But, if he does, where else is there for him to go? Not back to George Santos and the Computer Club again.)

“Did I ever tell you why I started hating Taylor?” Plum asks suddenly, switching the topic.

“No,” Travis answers. “And I’m not sure I want to know. I don’t want to talk behind her back.”

“It’s not gossip. It’s just facts,”

Travis’ shoulders drop. “Sure, why not.”

“Did you remember that you and I used to be best friends until third grade?” 

Travis blinks. “Wait — what?”

“Have you forgotten?”

“No, no. I remembered that we used to talk in school, but I didn’t know you considered me your best friend.”

Plum sniffs, “Well, I did.”

Travis lets out a snort. He isn’t sure why he finds it so funny. “So, your almost-decade long rivalry with Taylor is because of me? I never knew you even liked me beyond being classmates.”

“It’s like I said,” Plum snaps lightly. “It’s hard for me to keep friends. We were close in my eyes, two whole years.”

“Oh,” The single word slips out of Travis’ lips before he can consider taking it back.

“Yeah,” Plum replies awkwardly, clearing her throat. “I can see why you think otherwise though. I was mean to you after you and Taylor became best friends. I’m sorry about that,”

Travis sucks in a deep breath, swallowing until his chest feels full. Then he walks towards his TV stand, dusts off a microphone that Taylor used to love choosing as she excelled in drums for _Rock Band_. “Let’s play,”

“Do I … have to sing?” Plum asks slowly.

“No, but I’ll guide you through the process. I figured _Zombie Quest_ would be too difficult. There’s a whole lot of rules and it can be overwhelming,” Travis explains.

For a moment, Plum looks as if she’ll protest. But she eventually grabs the microphone. “Alright,”

Travis nods then turns on his game console, eager to see where this goes.

* * *

They soon fell into a rhythm, laughing and shoving each other. Plum is competitive as she is during horse shows, but Travis is an expert, completely in his element. Plum doesn’t mind losing though. 

Wildwood Stables isn't the best place in the world for them, but she is grateful for what it’s done for her. It’s given Travis back to her, even if for a day.

* * *

**end**

**Author's Note:**

> Notes: I wanted to revisit my childhood so I finished all six books in a week. I forgot everything about this series, and I know that I sound bitter in this one-shot, but I'm not. I still love this series, however, it feels incomplete for Travis and Plum.
> 
> I don’t like how Travis is labelled as the best friend who hates the dude love interest for no reason and only comes to the stable when something needs to be fixed. Meanwhile, Plum is the bratty rich girl who has a vendetta for Taylor but never gets a backstory why she hates Taylor so much. Gimme some depth! They’re only called into the plot for convenience, and I think that’s kinda sad. Travis and Plum feel like throw-away characters and I sorta want angst for them. This fic shouldn’t have been more than 1K.
> 
> — 22 November 2020


End file.
